


The Credit a Tongue Gets

by Arcanista



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fluff, Fluff without Plot, French Kissing, Kissing, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-15
Updated: 2015-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 16:51:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3177320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arcanista/pseuds/Arcanista
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorian comes up to join Inquisitor Cadash on a rainy day, and confronts one of the dwarf's particular insecurities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Credit a Tongue Gets

Nowhere in Skyhold was warm when it rained. Too many windows here, too many holes in the walls there. The library was insulated well enough to keep the damp out, but Kharis didn't like to study there. Too many eyes. It was to be expected that he'd be engaged in _some_  study, to be fair-- a Carta dwarf from the Marches certainly needed to be prepared in order to rub shoulders with the Orlesian elite. But no one needed to know how broadly he learned. The better to be able to catch people in their lies with, after all.

So on days like today, Kharis curled himself up in a blanket and sat almost dangerously close to the fireplace in his quarters with his books. And this one gave him nothing but headaches.

"I thought I might find you here," comes a voice from -- behind and below. Familiar. Dorian. Kharis doesn't reach for a knife.

He snapped his book shut and turned halfway to see, yes, Dorian slinking up the stairs. "It's my fuckin' bedroom," says Kharis. "Fuck else you think I'd be? This fuckin' weather, no less. Shit, I ain't goin' outside."

Dorian sauntered over to the fireplace. "You're so welcoming. Tell me, is there room for one more? The view from the library is passing dreary this afternoon."

Kharis was keenly aware of the state of his breath. He levered himself back to his feet, saying, "Yeah, make yourself comfortable. I gotta go take a whiz first." Which was true, more or less. In better weather, he'd just let go off the balcony, but he didn't feel like getting wet, so he went to go deal with the matter in a chamber pot. On the way back, he stopped by the candy dish on his desk, shoving a good half a fistful of his strongest mints into his mouth.

Dorian was waiting for him by the time he settled back into the blankets, mints rattling in his mouth. Of course, Dorian was flipping through Kharis' book, because nobody could leave a book unattended around Dorian without him putting his nose into it. "Heavy reading," he said, looking at a diagram that spanned a full two pages. "It doesn't hurt to know more about the Anchor, but you're not a mage. I've _known_  mages who never cared to look this much into Fade theory in their entire life. Some of them were Magisters."

"Ugh," Kharis said, rubbing his forehead. He shifted, saying, "Yeah, but with all these mages I turned loose, I figure I need t'know what they's talking about. Lot of 'em want money. Some wanna pull a fast one. Gotta get all this technical shit they try an' throw at me, y'know? Don't always got someone who can translate for me. But, shit, fuck, I got a pisser of a time trying to follow some'f this. It don't make no _sense_. Grammar. Gimme some fuckin' _grammar_. That makes fuckin' sense."

Dorian's fingers started weaving into Kharis' hair. He laughed, getting closer, though it left his feet sticking out of the bottom of the blanket. "You? Grammar?"

Kharis leaned his head back against Dorian's fingers, closing his eyes halfway. "Shit, you think I was brought up talking like this? Well, fuck, yeah, some are, but I sure wain't. It takes work to learn how to mangle a sentence exactly so that you sound like an uneducated piece of shit thug, I'll have you know. Words make sense. Languages make sense. I can diagram a sentence in for you in six different languages. Magic? Magic doesn't make a damn bit of sense. I can't even conceptualize it. And it's not that I'm trying to run before I can walk here, I've read the foundational texts, it's just when it starts talking about sensory connections, it fucking loses me."

"Mn. It still sounds like you might be taking it from the wrong angle," said Dorian, sliding his fingers down the dwarf's side. "Have you looked into texts penned by the Tranquil? They're all _dreadfully_  dry, but they have no connection to the Fade either. Perhaps their works would put it into a context you'd have an easier time with?"

"Worth the thought. Maybe you can help me dig something up later," Kharis said. "But fuck books right now." He rolled a little, easing on top of Dorian. With his tongue, he shoved the mints into his cheek, and pressed a closed-mouth kiss to Dorian's lips.

Dorian set his hands at the small of Kharis' back, leaning into the kiss. He touched his tongue to Kharis lips', which stayed adamantly shut. "Mn," said Dorian, when the kiss broke. "You really mustn't be so shy about your mouth. Your tongue could do great things."

Kharis rubbed the back of his neck a little, and gave Dorian another quick kiss. "You don't wanna taste the shit I shove in there, sugar-doll. An' I don't wanna see the look on your face when you pretend you like the taste."

"Oh, come on," said Dorian. "I saw how many of those candies you took on your way back. You're not tasting of anything but far too much mint right now. The least you could do is share _one_  with me. If they deaden your tastebuds enough, perhaps they'll do the same for me, ah?"

An absurd flush rose on Kharis' cheeks. "Let it be on your head, then. Go and take one." And he lowered his head again, tilting just enough to keep his nose from bumping Dorian's. His lips parted, just enough to let Dorian's tongue in and sweep away a pair of mints for himself. The kiss was short, too short, but it left them both breathless.

"Well?" asked Kharis.

Dorian paused, swirling his stolen mints around in his mouth. "You know, I think I'll need to try that again. Experiments must be repeated, you know."

And Kharis laughed, tugging his arms close around Dorian. "C'mere, you."


End file.
